Coming to Play: 3 Steps for Getting Ready for College Recruitment

 Coming to Play: 3 Steps for Getting Ready for College Recruitment

As the parent of a high school soccer player who plays at a high level, approaching the recruiting and selection process for colleges can be a black box. As a parent of a goalkeeper who intends to continue playing in college and a board member of the largest soccer club in Minneapolis, I share an interest in unraveling the mystery and have found two articles that provide some guidance.

Renee Lopez, in her article on Academics, Coach’s Insight and Recruiting Tips  lays out a concise outline of what college coaches are looking for. Her points are particularly valuable as you consider your approach and potential target schools.

"UB Women's Soccer" by ChadCooperPhotos is licensed under CC BY 2.0

 

A second valuable resource is an article on the US Youth Soccer website titled ‘Next College Student Athlete’.  It covers the practical side of approaching the recruiting process including how coaches recruit, recruiting pitfalls online resources and social media. 

From these resources and my experience with the process so far, here are three steps to help your soccer player be best prepared for collegiate sports. Help your player -

• Be great - Coaches are looking for great students, great teammates and great people. 

• Be proactive - Help coaches find your player and all the information that they are looking for, create online player profiles that include academic records in addition to athletic information

• Be direct - “If you’re good enough, coaches will find you.” While this is true for some elite athletes, the great majority of high school athletes must reach out directly to coaches to make their presence known.

Ron Lieber of the New York Times has described selecting a college for your son or daughter has been described as the biggest investment you will make in your life. But it is probably the most important decision you will make with your child on the path that their life will take. A little preparation will go a long way to finding the right program for your student athlete.

 

Demian Vincenty is a soccer-Dad, marketing professional and student in the Northwestern University/Coursera Social Media Marketing Specialization.

Twitter @demianvincenty

LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/demianvincenty

 

 

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